Mark hehzl



M. HERZL AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEM FOR AERIAL VESSELS Filed 061;. 27. 1927Mim A r I III/ IN V EN TOR.

ATTORN s.

Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES MARK HERZL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEM FOR AERIAL VESSELS.

Application filed October 27, 1927. Serial No. 229,126.

The present invention relates to improvements in aerial Vessels, andmore part1cularly to an auxiliary power system therefor.

The main object of the invention is to provide an aerial vessel,provided, in addition to the motor-driven propeller or propellers, withone or more propellers which are driven independently of the motor ofthe aerial vessel, more particularly by a rotary internal combustionengine in which a charge of gun powder or other explosive substance 1sexploded and the resulting gases allowed to I act upon the workingpiston of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary power systemof the charactor described which is simple in construc tion, efficientin operation, and which may be conveniently installed in aerial vesselsWithout necessitating material changes in the construction of thelatter.

A further object of the invention is to produce an auxiliary powersystem of the character mentioned, which, when applied to aeroplanes,will sustain the same in flight for a considerable time even after themain motor thereof comes to a full stop, thereby avoiding accidents dueto the sudden stoppage of the said motor.

With these and other objects in View, which will more fully appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe combination, arrangement and construction of parts hereinafterdescribed, pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it being understood that many changes may be madein the size and proportion of the several parts and details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claim, without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

One of the many possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which igure 1 is a side elevation of thefront portion of an aeroplane, provided with ,an auxiliary power systemconstructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is atransverse section taken through one of the aerofoils of the aeroplane,on a larger scale, showing in elevation the auxiliary power system; Fig.3 is a central vertical section, partly in elevation, taken through thefiring device of the power system; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of aportion of said firing device; Fig. 5 is a section taken through one ofthe cartridges used in the internal-com- I bustion motor; and Fig, 6 isa plan view of a band of the cartridges.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates an aeroplane, which may be ofany suitable type and construction. In the case illustrat ed the saidaeroplane includes an upperaerofoil 11, a lower aerofoil 12, and a screwpropeller 13 mounted on a horizontal shaft 14, the said shaft beingdriven by a power plant, not shown. The construction and operation ofthe elements are well known, so that a further detailed descriptionthereof seems to be unnecessary.

The auxiliary power plant comprises a rotary internal combustion engine15 of any suitable type, preferably mounted within. the upper aerofoil11, and provided with a vertical driven shaft 16, to which is attachedan auxiliary propeller 17, disposed above the aerofoil 11. This motoris, preferably, of the turbine type, its runner being actuated bycharges of un powder of other explosive substances, w ich are explodedwithin a chamber 18, provided with a, nozzle 19, the latter directingthe resultant gases to the said runner which is thus rotated, therebyactuating the auxiliary propeller 17. The

On diagonally opposite portions of this head are provided apertures 22,to allow of the insertion of cartridges, as will hereinafter appear,said apertures being adapted to be closed by a cap 23, which is slidablyarranged on the said head, springs 24 being adapted to keep the said canin its outer position in which the said apertures are open, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The head and cap are provided withregistering openings 25 and 26, respectively, through which a firing pin27 is adapted to protude. This pin. slides in guides 28 and carries acollar 29, adapted to bear against the outer face of the cap 23. On'thepin is provided a further collar 30, between which and one of the guides28 is inserted an actuating spring 31.

The cartridges consist each of a shallow ,open container 32, havingprojections 33.

33. The cartridges are supplied to the chamber 18 through the apertures22, by a bell-crank lever 37, which is fulcrumed at 37' adjacent thesaid chamber. The arm 38 of this bell-crank lever is in engagement witha flexible means 39 such as a cord, which leads over a sheave 40 down towithin reach of the operator on a seat on the body of the aeroplane. Theother arm 41 of the said bell-crank lever is. adapted to engageprojections 33 on the cartridges, drawing them, in a manner hereinafterto be described, through the apertures 22 above mentioned to an abutment42, which is carried by the head 21. Adjacent its fulcrum, thebell-crank lever is provided with a finger 43, adapted to engage a lug44 of a lever 45, which is fulcrumed at 46 adjacent the firing pin andengages a recess 47 in said firing pin.

The operation of this device is as follows: Normally the aeroplane ispropelled through the air by the main propcller'l3.- The auxiliarypropeller 17 is then at rest and the elements ofthe cartridge supplyingand firing pin setting device and also the firing pin are in thepositions shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In these positions the arm 41of the bell-crank lever 37 engages an already fired cartridge, that isin contact with the abutment 42. If the main power plant of thepropeller, by accident or otherwise, comes to a full stop, therotary'internal combustion engine 15 is set to motion. For this purpose,the operator takes hold of the cord 39 and pulls the same in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, whereby thefinger 43 of the bell-crank lever engages the lug 44 of the ever 45,

whereby compressing the spring31 of the firing pin 27. At the same timethecap 23,-

under the tension of the springs 24, moves outwards, thereby allowing ofthe insertion of a new cartridge into the chamber 18. As

soon as the apertures 22 are uncovered, the

bell-crank lever 37 supplies a new cartridge to the chamber by engagingthe already fired cartridge, in contact with the abutment 42,and'drawing the said cartridge downwards, whereby a new cartridge isinserted into the chamber 18. When now, in the further swinging movementof the bell-crank lever 37, the finger 43 is disengaged from the lug 44,the spring 31 is allowed to act, whereby the firing pin is projectedinto the chamber cord 39, the auxiliary propeller is kept in,

motion until a safe landing is made.

What I claim is An auxiliary propelling mechanism for aeroplanes,including arotary internal combustion engine having a vertical drivenshaft extending through the top aerofoil of the aeroplane, a propellerattached to said shaft above said aerofoil rotatable in a horizontalplane, means associated with said engine for exploding solidexplosivecharges and permitting the resulting gases to act upon therotor of said engine, and means within the reach of the operators'seatin the body of said aeroplane forfeeding explosive charges to saidfirst-mentioned means and for actuating the charge explosion means.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York,this 22nd day of September, A. D. 1927.

MARK HERZL.

